Matthew 7:24-29  Jesus finished speaking with this final warning... "therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.  And the rain descended and the floods came and the wind blew, and burst against the house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock."  But, the foolish ones, the ones who "hears these words .. but does not act upon them.." .. built his house on the sand.. "And it fell, and great was its fall." 

The narrow way or the wide one?

The good heart or the bad one?

The treasure in heaven or the treasures on earth?

The anxiety of temporal things or  the peace of trusting the Father ?

Practicing "righteousness" before men.. or personal relationship and worship in private with the Father?

Doing the works of the Law or doing the true purpose of the Law from the heart?

Trying to meet impossible standards of holiness on our own.. or surrendering it all to Jesus

.. knowing our own poverty of spirit

.. mourning our state of sinfulness

.. humbling ourselves before Him in truth

.. hungering and thirsting for His righteousness

Being transformed by His mercy so that we can be merciful.

Being made pure by His cleansing sacrifice so that we can see God!

Becoming peacemakers.. as He is.. to bring His peace to those who have none.

Choosing to live in His ways.. even though persecution should come.. so that we can have His Kingdom!

Jesus tells us to choose. Take these powerful words and act on them.. or don't.  The one way leads to life and the other to destruction.  

In the last days of Moses' life, the Lord spoke to Israel, "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgements, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you .. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him.. " ( Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19-20)

Father in heaven, we choose life. We choose to live according to the Word of Truth. We choose to build on the Solid Rock. We choose the narrow way and trust You to fill us with Yourself.  Your Kingdom is within us. Reign and rule.. cleanse and fill us with Your Spirit continually. Your will be done! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.